Title: I Thought You Loved Me (part 3: Elrond's POV)
Subtitle: Fleeting Glances

Author: Queen-of-Sporks

Disclaimer: See chapter 2 (Aragorn's POV)

Author's Note: Wow… so I am UBER sorry for not writing anything sooner. This was all caused by major writer's block. So now, I offer unto your criticism (both good or bad), a slightly different style to do Elrond's POV. I think it is a bit more poetic so… here goes! Please enjoy and R&R!

--------------------------------------------------FLEETING GLANCES (Elrond's POV)--------------------------------------------------

I see the love in their eyes when they cast a fleeting glance to one another. My darling daughter, the Evenstar and her love, a mortal man, though he is of the race of the Numenor. I once told her the story of Beren the mortal and his elven love, Luthien Tinuviel. They too loved and were happy for but a glimpse in time compared for her long elven life.

Daughter, do you realize that your life with this man would be as fleeting as that secret, stolen glance? Do you not fathom that your years together will in no way come close to even equaling your years alone when his soul has left that mortal body? How can you expect me to not try to keep you from that pain? How can you even believe that for one moment in this never-ending lifetime of ours I could stand by and watch while you suffer? That I could maintain a silent vigilance while my only daughter's heart is destroyed in the passionate fires of love, like the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, is a concept that I understand not.

Evenstar, when mortals die no one knows where their souls go. But you, my daughter, you have the ability to live life eternal in the Undying Lands. You have the chance any mortal would dream of, for who does not wish to live forever? Go to Valinor, my Arwen Evenstar. Go with your people, with the race you belong. The pain will be greater if you do not now release your grasp on this foolish love. You must realize that I only wish for your happiness, my child, and that you leaving Middle Earth is the only way for this to come about.

And as for you Estel, the Elfstone, there is not much for me to say. You have somehow turned my daughter against her people, so to speak. You have bewitched her in a way not seen since Beren and Tinuviel. How, I fear, I will never know. But, Estel, you shall not have her. She belongs with her people. You could never offer her more than a limited quantity of happiness. A far less number of years of joy than she deserves. She does not belong with you. Her destiny is to go to the Undying Lands with the rest of her kin and you, mortal man, to remain here until your soul fades from your body and passes the boundaries of both time and space. I will not allow you to drag my daughter with you into a fate so unbefitting of the Evenstar.

Go fight this war, Elfstone. It is most likely you will not return to see her face again. And if by some chance you do survive, she will have forgotten and go unto Valinor where her soul belongs. I offer you my blessings on your journey, as I should, my foster son, but know this. You will only have my daughter if you face your destiny and take up the rule of Gondor. And lucky for myself as well as my daughter, you are too afraid of your destiny. So if you do not perish and pass from this world surely you will continue to dash from the destiny of your bloodline and hide from the man you were born to be.

So in all truth, I ask of myself as I bid you and the Fellowship farewell, what have I to fear from this love that will not last?

FIN!

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Another Author's note: This will most likely be the last I will write of I Thought You Loved Me. :'( I hope you have enjoyed it. Once again, without your wonderful reviews, I could not have gotten the inspiration. I actually managed this in about ten minutes or so. (proudful smile) Thanks once again! Hugs reviewers and gives them some sort of yummy food they are craving